In the garden now (2 November 2026)
Sow or plant outside
Start indoors
No indoor sowing due this week.
Ready to pick
TomatoesPeppersEggplantCucumbersZucchiniPumpkinsWatermelonsSweet cornGreen beansLettuceKaleCabbageBroccoliCarrotsBeetsRadishesSwiss chardBasilCilantroParsley
Coming up in the next 4 weeks
No new outdoor sowings start in the next four weeks.
Richmond planting calendar
Bars show when each crop can go in and when a planting from that window is ready. The blue band is the frost season, from the average first autumn frost to the average last spring frost. Hover or tap a crop for details.
Sow indoorsSow or plant outdoorsHarvestFrost seasonToday
Swipe sideways to see the whole year →
Dates by crop
| Crop | Sow indoors | Sow / plant outdoors | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato | Feb 22 – Mar 29 | Apr 19 – Aug 21 plant out | Jun 19 – Nov 3 |
| Pepper | Feb 19 – Mar 26 | Apr 30 – Aug 18 plant out | Jun 28 – Nov 3 |
| Eggplant (aubergine) | Feb 25 – Apr 1 | May 6 – Aug 14 plant out | Jul 5 – Nov 3 |
| Cucumber | Mar 28 – Apr 24 | Apr 25 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 12 – Nov 3 |
| Zucchini (courgette) | Mar 22 – Apr 18 | Apr 19 – Sep 4 sow | Jun 5 – Nov 3 |
| Pumpkin and winter squash | Mar 22 – Apr 18 | Apr 19 – Aug 3 sow | Jul 10 – Nov 3 |
| Watermelon | Apr 8 – May 5 | May 6 – Aug 13 sow | Jul 9 – Nov 3 |
| Sweet corn | – | Apr 10 – Aug 16 sow | Jun 23 – Nov 3 |
| Green beans | – | Apr 19 – Aug 31 sow | Jun 9 – Nov 3 |
| Peas | – | Feb 23 – Mar 19 sow | May 13 – Jun 16 |
| Lettuce | Jan 30 – Feb 27 | Mar 6 – Apr 12, Aug 25 – Sep 25 sow | May 5 – Jun 19, Oct 1 – Nov 14 |
| Spinach | – | Feb 20 – Apr 7, Sep 24 – Oct 4 sow | Apr 27 – Jun 12, Nov 4 – Dec 4 |
| Kale | Jan 16 – Feb 20 | Feb 27 – May 10, Aug 13 – Sep 25 sow | May 10 – Aug 31, Sep 26 – Dec 19 |
| Cabbage | Jan 16 – Feb 20, Jun 25 – Jul 30 | Mar 6 – Apr 10, Aug 13 – Sep 10 plant out | May 23 – Jul 6, Oct 8 – Nov 25 |
| Broccoli | Jan 23 – Feb 27, Jul 7 – Aug 11 | Mar 13 – Apr 18, Aug 25 – Sep 15 plant out | May 18 – Jul 4, Oct 13 – Nov 18 |
| Carrots | – | Mar 13 – Jun 26, Aug 13 – Sep 18 sow | May 22 – Dec 19 |
| Beets (beetroot) | – | Mar 13 – Jun 26, Aug 13 – Sep 21 sow | May 14 – Sep 19, Sep 26 – Nov 25 |
| Radishes | – | Feb 27 – Apr 28, Sep 11 – Oct 14 sow | Apr 13 – Jun 2, Oct 2 – Nov 18 |
| Onions | Dec 26 – Jan 30 | Mar 6 – Jun 26 plant out | Jun 11 – Oct 5 |
| Garlic | – | Oct 27 – Nov 18 sow | May 9 – May 29 |
| Potatoes | – | Mar 20 – Jun 7 sow | Jun 12 – Sep 26 |
| Swiss chard | – | Mar 20 – Sep 25 sow | May 14 – Nov 25 |
| Basil | Mar 19 – Apr 16 | Apr 30 – Sep 18 plant out | May 28 – Nov 3 |
| Cilantro (coriander) | – | Mar 13 – Apr 20, Sep 11 – Oct 4 sow | Apr 29 – Jun 18, Oct 11 – Nov 18 |
| Parsley | Jan 16 – Feb 20 | Mar 13 – Jun 26, Aug 13 – Sep 12 sow | May 25 – Dec 4 |
Dates are for a typical year and the middle of the window is the safest. Sow a little at a time across a window rather than all at once. Cold snaps, heat waves, frost pockets and city warmth all shift the real dates; watch the forecast.
Frost dates in Richmond
- Average last spring frost
- April 3
- Late frost (1 year in 10)
- April 18
- Average first autumn frost
- November 4
- Early frost (1 year in 10)
- October 23
- Frost-free growing season
- 214 days
“Average” is the date with an even chance of a later (spring) or earlier (autumn) frost: a night at or below 0 °C (32 °F) at screen height. Tender crops go out a week or two after the spring date, which brings the risk down to about one year in ten.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Richmond Intl Ap (10 km from the city centre).
Climate at a glance
- Hardiness zone
- 7b from station records
- Average coldest winter night
- -13°C9°F
- Warmest month
- July, highs 33°C91°F
- Coldest month
- January, lows -2°C29°F
- Crops with an outdoor window
- 25 of 25
The zone follows the USDA scheme: bands of the average lowest temperature of the year, 10 °F wide, split into a and b halves. Worked out from the coldest night of each year 1991–2020 at the NOAA station. It tells you which perennials survive winter, not when to sow.
Temperature and rain by month
Average highAverage lowRainFreezing point
| Month | High | Low | Mean | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| January | 9°C49°F | -2°C29°F | 4°C39°F | 86 mm3.4 in |
| February | 12°C53°F | 0°C31°F | 6°C42°F | 70 mm2.8 in |
| March | 16°C62°F | 3°C37°F | 10°C50°F | 98 mm3.8 in |
| April | 22°C72°F | 8°C46°F | 15°C59°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| May | 27°C80°F | 14°C56°F | 20°C68°F | 85 mm3.3 in |
| June | 31°C88°F | 18°C65°F | 25°C76°F | 103 mm4.0 in |
| July | 33°C91°F | 21°C69°F | 27°C80°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| August | 32°C89°F | 20°C67°F | 26°C78°F | 124 mm4.9 in |
| September | 28°C83°F | 16°C61°F | 22°C72°F | 102 mm4.0 in |
| October | 23°C73°F | 9°C49°F | 16°C61°F | 104 mm4.1 in |
| November | 17°C62°F | 3°C38°F | 10°C50°F | 83 mm3.3 in |
| December | 11°C53°F | 0°C32°F | 6°C42°F | 91 mm3.6 in |
Monthly averages 1991–2020 from TerraClimate (about 4 km grid).